LOVE-NAT, isang makulit na lovestory!

Eleonor Malicsi Dimaculangan

I stood outside, sa mismong assigned locker room ng GWAPS Basketball Team. Nakasandal lang ako sa wall, not sure kung papasok ba ko o hindi. Pano ba naman, biglang naglaho sila Japo at AJ paglabas ko ng CR. Aba, syempre pinangatawanan ko ang sinabi kong nac-cr ako. Haha. Baka mahalata naman nila masyadong atat akong makita si Sef nuh?

At ngayon? Anong ginagawa mo jan sa labas Ellie? Para kang stalker!! Ee kasi naman...

It was easier to turn my back and leave... pero parang nag-yelo mga binti ko when I heard Sef’s voice. “How many times do I have to tell you? Okay nga lang ako. It’s nothing serious.” It was audible enough for me to hear, galing pa mismo sa loob ng locker room yung boses niya.

“Sef, makinig ka na lang kay coach.” A male voice then replied. “He’s the one who’ll answer to your aunt, not you.”

Naalala ko tuloy si Aunt Yolly, tuloy parang merong tumusok sakin ng karayom. Naiintindihan ko si Coach kung mas pipiliin pa niyang matalo kesa isugal ang paa ng isang Monteverde. Grabe ka Ellie, kung maka-Coach ka wagas!! Haha.

“Wag na, Van!” Sef seemed to be rejecting something.

“Are you sure?”

“See? I told you okay lang ako.” I was tempted to peak my head in the door way para makita kung okay nga siyang talaga. Lechugas Eleonor, pwede ba? GO AWAY!! Hindi ka naman kailangan dito!! Besides, there’s no need to worry. Si Sef yan, hindi pwedeng walang magaasikaso jan.

I sighed. Tama. Aalis na lang ako. Nakakaloka.

I was just about to walk away kaso parang may gustong mang-joke sakin for at that very moment, biglang lumabas si Sef. He froze by the doorway just as I was rooted in my place by the wall. Matagal kaming nagkatitigan, parang naka-glue ang mata namin sa isa’t isa. SHEET!! Please, wag mo ko masyado titigan SEF!! Baka mamaya may dumi pa ko sa mukha!! Nakakahiya naman!! HAHA. TOINKS!! Tamang ma-conscious Ellie? Paker ka talaga!!

If Sef were surprised, he did a good job hiding it. Sa totoo lang, kamuntik ko ng makalimutan how he looked incredibly handsome lalo na pag ganitong close-up!! Napalunok ako as I felt my fingers turning rather cold. Nakakaloka, baka mamaya isipin pa ni Sef nagaalala ko kaya ako nandito!! ARGH!!

“Oh ano?” I heard Sef’s friend asked at bigla din itong nag-appear and that was when I quickly looked away from Sef. “Akala ko ba, hindi masakit?” Namukaan ko kaagad siya, yung kamuka ni Derek Ramsey sa Tagaytay noon. “Hey,” He gave me a warm smile. “You’re Ellie right?” He asked, reaching for my hand para makipag-shake hands. “I’m Ivan. Naaalala mo pa ba ko?”

Sus!! Hindi ba aware ang lalaking ito na mahirap makalimutan ang face niyang yan?! Haha. I nodded and mildly shook his hand.

Ivan then tapped Sef by the shoulder. “Ano na nga palang nangyari sa pustahan niyong date nun?”

I gave a weak smile. Animales!! Ee ano pa nga bang nangyari? E di ito, PURO SAKIT SA ULO!!! Atchaka, bakit hindi niya itanong sa kaibigan niya kung ano talagang nangyari??

Hindi nag-react si Sef, I could feel his eyes still boring down on me. My GAAAD, at this moment, pinapanalangin ko na sana may mag-appear na salamin sa harap ko para naman makita ko kung maayos pa itsura ko!! HAHA. Nakakaloka lang!!

“CUZ!!” AJ’s voice boomed behind me, sparing me the trouble from actually giving Ivan an answer. “Nandito ka lang pala. Kala ko ba magc-CR ka?” Lechugas talaga si AJ!! GAAAH!!

“Kamusta paa mo Sef?” Si Japo naman nagbato agad ng tanong kay Sef. “Was it that bad?”

“Actually, mukang oka--”

Ivan’s words were then drowned by Sef’s painful moans. “Agghh.” He suddenly winced, bending forwards as to touch his injured leg. “Ah. Sheet!” He tried to hop on one foot. Kahit ako parang mapapa-sheet ee!! Ayan na nga ba sinasabi ko!! Kahit naman loko-loko toh, sobrang naawa talaga ko sakanya. “Masakit talaga ee...” He almost loses his balance kaya bigla siyang napa-akbay sa taong pinaka malapit sakanya. Ibig sabihin SAKIN!! His arm landed around my shoulders, begging for support.

THUMP!! THUMP!!

Parang gusto ko siyang itulak papalayo ee, natakot kasi ako baka marinig niya yung malakas na tibok ng puso ko!!

Animales!! ELLIE!! UMAYOS KA NGA!! FEELING MO NAMAN?! KITA MO NA NGANG MAY PILAY YUNG TAO EE UUNAHIN MO PA YANG PRUBLEMA NG PUSO MO?!?! Atchaka, look at the brighter side, NAKA-AKBAY SIYA SAYOOOOO!!! WAHAHAHAHAHA. :D

I held onto his arm, yung naka-akbay sakin and clutched his jersey shirt by the waist with my other hand. He winced, “Argh, it hurts, dammit.” I looked at him at naisip ko, ang gwapo pa din ng boypren ko kahit umaaray!! HAHAHAHA. Lechugas Ellie. UMAYOS KA!! U-MA-YOS KA!! Atchaka, kahit pawis na pawis na siya sa kakalaro kanina, ang bango-bango pa din niya!! WWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAHHH!! ELLIE!! POOTEK!! KILABUTAN KA NGA!! Kung naririnig lang siguro ni AJ mga naiisip ko, kanina pa niya ko pinalakpakan. HAHA.

Ivan seemed confused at Sef’s sudden outburst. Si AJ naman parang tangang naka-ngiti na kala mo merong JOKE sa bawat pag-aray ni Sef.

Sef leaned, shifting all his weight to me. Hello, ang laki niyang tao diba??

“Awwww...” AJ groaned as though sympathizing with Sef. “You poor thing...” My crazy-of-a-cousin then winked at me. “Matapos kang ihatid ni Sef kagabi, tama yan, pagsilbihan mo siya.”

Nanlaki mata ko kay AJ na parang SHOCKING NEWS yung sinabi niya. WEH?! Si S-Sef talaga naghatid sakin kagabi? Kila Max? FOR REAL?!?!

Blood crept up to my cheeks, at kahit nga ata tenga ko parang kinagat ng isang daan na langgam sa PULA!!

---

MUP UNIVERSITY
The next day

Darren Max Sanchez

Huling gabi na ni Ellie sa bahay namin mamaya. Funny, how we slept under one roof yet we’re too distant, like two strangers trapped in the same room. Ilang araw na rin kaming hindi nag-uusap at hindi nagpapansinan. Sabay kaming pumapasok sa school, but we never talk. Para kaming invisible sa isa’t isa.

I know I can’t complain. Hindi ko rin masisisi si Ellie. I chose this and I asked for this.

But then... Hindi ko na ba talaga maibabalik yung dati? Sa totoo lang, araw-araw ko siyang nakikita but I terribly miss her company.

Nakakainis, bakit ba kapag nagmamahal ka nagiging komplikado ang lahat? Na kahit anong gawin mo to make things easier... in the end, yung kabaliktaran pa rin yung nangyayari?

Nasa classroom kaming magbabarkada. Meg insisted na mag-take out na lang kami at kumain dito sa room. I was watching Ellie from the back seat as she was having a conversation with Borge, Jill and Japo. Nanalo daw kasi ang MUP at GWAPS sa basketball game kahapon at si Japo na laging numero uno sa mga balita ee sinasabing meron daw Victory Party ang player ng GWAPS.

“Dapat manlibre si Nico.” He was saying. “Party din dapat tayo!”

Ellie frowned. “Wag ng party na inuman!! Pakainin na lang niya tayo!!”

“Sige, wag kayong magalala, sasabihin ko sa asawa ko mamaya.” Banat ni Borge.

“Oh my gosh!” Meg squealed in excitement as she sat beside Ellie, holding her iTouch. “Pakinggan mo tong kanta!!”

Alam niyo, kung naging palabas itong si Ellie, hindi ako magsasawang panuorin siya ng paulit-ulit. Maya-maya pa at biglang tumabi sakin si Sara.

“Here.” She said, handing me a slice of cake na mukang galing pa sa Red Ribbon. “You like Black Forest Cakes don’t you?”

“Ah, salamat.” I said with nonchalance.

Sara then rested her chin with one hand habang pinagmamasdan ako. I felt uncomfortable with her stare, especially when she was just sitting next to me. She then smirked- that sexy kind of smirk. I have to admit it was hard not to look back at her.

“I like you.” She said, smiling still. “In fact I like you a lot.”

I blinked at her. I’m flattered but I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t pleased either... kasi naisip ko...

Bakit ganun? Nowadays, nothing is really fair anymore. How come others can easily admit liking someone? Pero pag ako hindi pwede? I have to contain it and muster it to keep my feelings intact. Unfair talaga ang mundo!!

Without a word, I stood up. What was there to say? Was I supposed to fake a smile? To pretend yet again? I don’t know. I have no clue kung anong sagot ang dapat na ibigay sakanya. All I know was that, it’s simpler to just walk away. Yeah, siguro nga hindi rin ako fair for turning my back from Sara especially when I was the one who gave her false pretences. Siguro nga, I was being unfair to her... and to myself. But really, what choice do I have?

I was heading towards the door, but just when I was about to reach for the handle... bigla akong napatigil when Sara called my name. “MAX!” Her voice was compelling that made me turn around. Konti lang kaming nandito sa classroom and everyone froze, all eyes on me.

“Sabihin mo nga sakin,” Sara continued, her face slightly flustered. We’re both standing at each end of the room. “TELL ME, ARE YOU IN LOVE WITH ELLIE?!”

Sh!t.

Who would have thought na ang isang black belter ng taekwondo would tremble in fear dahil lang sa simpleng tanong na yun? I swear my heart never beat this loud before. Gusto kong mag-tago! Gusto kong mawala na lang bigla sa kinakatayuan ko. It was that question I’ve been trying to avoid in my entire life. Na kahit sa sarili ko nga, takot akong itanong. Pero ito si Sara, screaming it out for the whole the world to hear.

Even as I stood across the room, I clearly saw how Ellie’s brows furrowed in confusion. Her dark brown eyes locked with mine, uncertain as to why her name suddenly popped at the end of that question.

I didn’t utter a word. Mas pinili ko na lang tumahimik at lumabas ng classroom. Hindi ko kayang aminin ee, kahit na itong bagay na pilit kong tinatago, ito yung gustong-gusto ko ng ipagsigawan sa mundo! Siguro nga, I do not have the guts to admit it... pero wala rin naman akong lakas ng loob para mag-sinungaling.

I might have left Sara’s question unanswered, pero sana... naisip niya – nila...

... that SILENCE means YES!

To be continued.